'Little regard to health and safety': Inflatable slide operator fined $350,000 after collapse injures children

Fun Solutions was sentenced in the Waihi District Court today after a WorkSafe prosecution. Photo / 123rf

An inflatable slide operator has been fined $350,000 by a court after a slide collapsed, injuring a dozen people, most of whom were children.

WorkSafe NZ said JTK Trustee Limited, trading as Fun Solutions, allowed its mammoth slide to become overloaded at the Whangamatā Summer Festival in December 2020.

When it collapsed, a dozen people were injured.

"Children have again been put in extreme danger by the operators of an inflatable slide who showed little regard for health and safety," a spokesperson from WorkSafe said.

One victim broke both his ankles and has required 11 surgeries and is still at home recovering.

There were no rules displayed for the slide, no instructions were given, and no weight or age and there were no workers at the top of the slide at the time of its collapse, witnesses said.

They also claim people who were on the slide were not evacuated effectively or safely afterwards.

Today, Fun Solutions was sentenced in the Waihi District Court and fined $350,000, along with being ordered to pay emotional harm reparations of $40,000 and consequential loss reparations of $12,958.

Fun Solutions has had 11 prior interactions with WorkSafe, including an incident in 2015 at the Masterton A&P show where a huge slide became overloaded and collapsed – injuring six children.

The company's director, Eric Gerritsen, was fined $115,000 for obstructing WorkSafe's investigation.

A Fun Solutions slide also collapsed in 2016 at an event in Hamilton Gardens and 10 children fell about 10m. In response, WorkSafe issued a directive letter, and Hamilton City Council later banned the company from operating at the site.

WorkSafe area investigation manager Paul West said that on top of the latest incident, this company's safety record is extremely concerning.

"When people are on an amusement device, they have an expectation their safety is being looked after by the operator. Most operators in Aotearoa are aware of this expectation and strive to meet it, but this business has had numerous failings which is unacceptable."

"For that reason, WorkSafe expects improvement from the operator and will take further action if necessary."